Clothes hanger holder and bag



Feb. 20, 1934. e. K. BALLENTINE CLOTHES HANGER HOLDER AND BAG Filed May 25, 1951 lNVENTOR QQQ ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 20, 1934 PATENT OFFICE,

UNITED STATES My invention relates to a clothes hanger holder and bag, and the objects of thisinvention are: first, to provide a holder whereby a plurality of clothes hangers, with or without clothes supl ported thereby, may be fastened together in substantially fixed spaced relation so that all of the hangers may be transferred from one supporting means to another without in any way disturbing .the relative positions of the hangers so that all of the hangers may be easily hooked or otherwise secured over, around, or to another support as and when desired; second, to provide. a holder of this class whereby many clothes supported on hangers may be readily carried or conveyed from place to place without in any way crowding the hangers or the clothes and without disturbing the clothes; third, to provide a holder of this class which may be easily and quickly clamped around a plurality of clothes hangers, supported from a common support, for securing the clothes hangers together in spaced relation, and a device of this class which may be easily and quickly removed from such hangers so that each is again free from the others; fourth, to provide a holder of this class for securing together in spaced relation a plurality of clothes hangers at the shanks of the hooks usually provided thereon, and for securing together clothes hangers eventhough the hooks or shanks of the hooks vary considerably size and shape; fifth, to provide a clothes bag or envelope-embodying the clothes hanger holder features aforementioned; sixth, to provide 'a clothes bag or holder for tightly enclosing clothes and substantially sealing the same against mois- 85 ture, dust, and from attacks by moths or the like; seventh, to provide a clothes bag or envelope which may be easily and quickly placed around or removed from clothes, or into which clothes may be readily placed and from which the clothes may be readily removed; eighth, to provide a clothes bag or envelope of this class into which clothes may be readily placed and supported in free and separated relation and'on hangers removably secured at the upper portion of the bag 4 or envelope, and in which the clothes hangers are secured or supported in the same manner and in the same spaced relation as-when the clothes are supported on hangers supported by or depending from a garment support, such as a rod; ninth, to provide as a whole a novelly constructed clothes hanger holder and a novel clothes bag, and also a novel combination of these elements; and, tenth, to provide devices of this class which are simple and economical of construction, durable,

efficient, practical, easy to manipulate, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, as will be hereinafter described in detail, and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the characters of reference thereon which form apart of this application in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my clothes bag in one form of construction embodying my clothes hanger holder, one clothes hanger being shown secured by the holder with the clothes supporting portion within the bag; Fig. 2is a fragmentary sectional elevational view thereof taken through 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevational view thereof taken through 3-3 of Fig. l, but showing the upper portion of the clothes bag slightly separated; Fig. 4 is an enlarged top view of the clothes hanger holder and in one form and separate and apart from the clothes bag or envelope, and showing by dotted line a shifted position of f one of the holding bars and also of the bar securing means; and, Fig. 5,,is a transverse sectional view thereof taken through 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Like characters refer to similar parts and portions throughout the views of the drawing.

The hanger holder, shown best in Fig. 4 of the drawing, consists of a pair of long rigid members 1 and 2 which, in this instance, are straight and preferably tubular bars. These bars are pivotally connected at one end by a hinge 3. so that the bars may be readily separated and at the same time be retained together and in certain relation. The opposite ends of the bars are detachably secured. vThe securing means, in this instance, consists of a ring 4 which is adapted to be slipped over the ends of both of the bars, as shown in Fig. 4. The ring may be readily disconnected from' the bar 2,'but is permanently connected to the bar 1 by a strap 5. This strap is secured at the outer side of the bar 1 at the free end thereof in such a manner as to provide a longitudinal slot 5a for permitting the ring 4 .to slide longitudinally with respect to the bar 1 and still retain the ring 4 on the bar 1. In order to facilitate the slipping of the ring 4 over the free end'of the bar 2, the bar 2 is provided with a beveled portion 241 at the outer side of its end, as shown in Fig. 4.

If the 'device-is used separate and apart from .the clothes bag, there is provided at the hmer or adjacent sides of the bars 1 and 2 a yieldable clothes hanger gripping means which, in this instance, consists of strips of fiat yieldable rubher 6, one stripfor each bar. These strips of rubber are secured to the inner or adjacent sides of the bars by cementing the strips to the bars. It will, however, be noted that these strips may be otherwise secured to the bars. 'It will also be noted that, if desired, only one of such yieldable rubber strips may be provided.

The bag or envelope, designated ll, is preferably made of tightly woven fabric or may be made of rubberized fabric, or other material Well adapted to resist moisture. However, a very light fabric may be used where merely a covering is'desired. The bag or envelope is made relatively long, depending upon the length 'of the garments desired to be placed therein. The bag is preferably rectangular in cross "section from the upper to the lower end and is provided with an opening 11s at the median line of its upper side, this opening, extending from the front to the rear side. There is also provided an opening or slit lib at the front side of. the back, the opening or slit 11b extending from the opening 11a. at the upper portion to near, the lower end of the bag. 4

At the opposite sides of the opening lla are provided wide hems forming runs 110 in which also hinged and are positioned with the hinge portionsat the rear side of the bag. The rear portion of the bag at the connected ends of the runs 110 is subjected to considerable wear by reason of the opening and closing of the bars 1 and 2. In order to strengthen this portion, I have provided a reinforcing fabric strip 12 which, in this instance, is extending above the bag proper and forms a loop for hanging up the bag when the same is not used for enclosing clothes. The free ends of thebars 1 and 2 extend beyond the forward ends of the runs 110, as. shown in Fig.1, and are adapted to be fastened together-at such ends. When the holder is used in connection with the bag, the rubber or other yieldable strips 6 are preferably sewed to the upper portion of the bag at the inner sides of the run portions and at the inner sides of the bars 1 and 2 so that, in this form of construction, the yieldable strips may be omitted from the bars, as shown in Fig. 4.

The opening of slit 11a at the front side of the bag is closed by any suitable fasteners, such as snaps, or by fasteners commonly known as "Zip fasteners. 1 and 2 are fastened together, and the opening 11b is closed by merely raising the member 13, which is the operating member of the commonly known Zip" fastener, the whole bag is enclosed.

When desiring to transport or transfer clothes suspended from hangers and mounted on a common supporting rod or the like, the bag or envelope is opened and raised up from the lower ends of the clothes, or. placed behind the rearmost garment in embracing form and is then raised or drawn forwardly. The bars at the opposite sides of the opening 11a are clamped against the opposite sides of the shanks of the clothes hang-- ers; designated 14, above the clothes supporting portion 14a and below the hooks 14b thereof. Thus the hangers are secured in their original spaced relation. The open side 11b is then closed. Thus the clothes within the bag or envelope are wholly enclosed and protected and Thus when the free ends of the bars gee-acre may be removed from the common support on which'the hangers 1c are mounted and may be transported or transferred to any desired location without disturbing the hangers or the clothes within the envelope.

It will be here noted that the yieldable rubber strips 6 tightly embrace the shanks of the clothes hangers and tightly seal the spaces around the same.

Though I have shown a particular construction, combination and arrangementof parts and portionsand certain modifications thereof, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, nor to the modifications, but desire to include inthe scope oi my invention the construction, combination and arrangementsubstantially as set forth in the appended claims. Y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new'and desire to secure by Letters Patcut is:

1. In a clothes hanger holder, a pair of bars pivotally connected at one end, means detachably connecting the.opposite ends 01 the bars together, and resilient yieldable gripping means between the adjacent sides of the bars.

2. In a clothes hanger holder, 2. pair of bars pivotally connected at one end, means detachably connecting the opposite ends of the bars together, and a, strip of yieldable rubber secured to the inner side of one of the bars.

3. In a clothes hanger holder, a pair of barspivotally connected atone end, means detachably connecting the opposite ends of the bars togther, and strips of yieldable rubber secured to the adjacent sides of the-bars and arranged so as to be forced into engagement and compressed when the free ends of the bars are con nected. i

4. In a clothes hanger-holder, a painof rigid members, resilient means positioned between the members, and means connecting the opposite ends of the members together, said members being separable for receiving articles, to be held, therebetween.

5. In a clothes hanger holder, a pair of rigid members, strips of resilient material lining the 6. In a cloths hanger holder, a rigid member,

and resilient means securely clamping a plurality of clothes hangers in spaced relation to one side of the member.

7. In a clothes hanger holder and bag, a pair of straight bars pivotally connected at one end, means detachably connecting the opposite ends of the bars together, a flexible envelope having an opening, the portions at the opposite sides of the opening being secured to said bars, and resilient and yieldable means secured to the envelope between the bars.

8. In a clothes hanger holder and bag, a flexible envelope having a transverse opening at its upper end, a pair of rigid members secured to the upper portion of the envelope at the opposite sides of the opening therein, strips of resilient and yieldable material secured to the upper portion of the envelope at the opposite sides of the opening and adapted to be clamped between the rigid members. a

9. In a clothes hanger holder and bag, an envelope of substantially rectangular cross section (Bill and provided with an opening at the median portion of its upper end and at the median portion of one side, and means for closing the opening in the upper end and rigidly supporting clothes hangers at and within the upper end of the em velope.

10. In a clothes hanger holder, a pair of bars pivotally connected at one end, means detachably connecting the opposite ends of the bars together, and a compressible pad interposed be tween said bars.

11. In a clothes hanger holder, apair of bars pivotally connected at one end, means detachably connecting the opposite ends of said bars together, and compressible pads secured to the irmer sides of each of said bars arranged to be compressed when said bars are.connected together at their opposite ends.

12. In a clothes hanger, holder and bag, the combination with a plurality of clothes hangerseach provided with a substantially curved horizontal clothes supporting portion and with a. normally vertical shank portion, of a flexible en- 'velope for enclosing the hanger portion of said hanger and the clothes hung thereon consisting of a flexible envelope having a transverse opening at the median portion of its upper end and at the median portion of one side, a pair of rigid bars secured to the envelope at the opposite sides of the opening in the upper end, and compressible means on the inner sides of said bars engageable with the normally vertical shank portions of said clothes hangers for rigidly supporting said shanks between said bars in spaced relation with the clothes supporting portion transversely with said bars for supporting said envelope in substantially rectangular shape whereby several clothes hangers are rigidly secured in position with the clothes thereon in said bag when said bars are clamped together.

GEORGE K. BALLENIINE. 

